Australian puppetry meets science in Macau’s dinosaur zoo show

[Photo: Ricaela Diputado]

The third Macao International Children’s Arts Festival (MICAF) will be inaugurated on July 3 with a Giant Puppetry x Science production, “Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo,” taking the stage at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium on July 3 and 4, announced yesterday at a press conference.

In the lead-up to the opening, the creative team of Erth Visual & Physical Inc. from Australia sat down with the media to share their artistic concept and the highlights of the performance.

During the conference, a 2.5-metre predator named Lightning Claw – an Australovenator dinosaur – entered the room, brought to life through one of the Australian company’s puppeteers. According to Erth’s artistic director Scott Wright, it is just one of 14 prehistoric creatures set to roam during the show.

For Wright and his team, the challenge of bringing dinosaurs to life begins with a fundamental problem, which is that these creatures are known only from their fossils. “All we have of dinosaurs are bones,” explained one of the puppeteers during the press preview. “We don’t necessarily know exactly how they moved. So, we have to use animals that exist now – like reptiles, crocodiles, kangaroos – to learn those movements and bring them to life,” he said.

The team’s research extends well beyond reptiles. Wright pointed to Australia’s cassowary, a large flightless bird, as a particularly valuable reference point. “Cassowaries are very similar to what some dinosaurs were like,” Wright noted. “We don’t just study reptiles, but birds as well. That behaviour is what we try to imbue into some of the puppets.”

The show features theatricality, interactive elements, and large-scale puppets, allowing audiences to get close to prehistoric giants such as the Australovenator and a collection of hatchlings, offering an experience that combines scientific exploration and imagination.

What sets this production apart is its commitment to genuine audience interaction. Unlike conventional theatre where performers remain on stage, Erth’s dinosaurs will venture into the auditorium and sometimes invite audience members onto the stage.

“Some creatures leave the stage and go into the audience,” Wright explained. “Sometimes we’ll bring members of the audience onto the stage – usually when the dinosaurs are hungry.” The director was quick to reassure parents that safety is a priority, and children selected to help feed the dinosaurs are carefully supervised throughout the experience.

The production’s scientific credibility comes from collaboration with paleontologists and museums, but Wright emphasized that the magic lies in balancing authenticity with the boundless imagination of children. “Dinosaurs are loved by children because they are part of nature, but children also have fantastic imaginations,” he said. “We get to not only embrace the science but also the storytelling. Children get to see the creatures they love – that they see on television or in a museum – alive on stage.”

For the Macau performances, the show will be delivered in both Cantonese and English, with Chinese and English surtitles.

The show’s running time is approximately 50 minutes, suitable for ages 5 and above.